What to see | Porto Rotondo 3

The territory of Porto Rotondo is divided into three zones: Punta Nuraghe, Punta Volpe and Punta Lada. These areas are rich in residences, hotels and apartments that, only in summer, are able to receive over 20 thousand tourists from all over the world. Precisely for this reason, Porto Rotondo is recognized as one of the best places of Mediterranean tourism and a coveted destination for many stars and famous VIPs.

There are many places to discover, full of charm, history and culture. From the works of famous artists to the natural glimpses to be found during a walk, Porto Rotondo is certainly a small treasure chest containing incomparable wonders that make your stay pleasant, fun and absolutely unforgettable.

The Port Porto Rotondo

The port, as the name suggests, has a rounded shape and is the expression of an all-Italian design of high quality. It has 800 berths and generally hosts yachts and luxury boats.

Inside, there is the Yacht Club Porto Rotondo, active since 1985 and among the most important in the Mediterranean.

There is a very suggestive walk that you can take along the quays of the port, next to the many restaurants and clubs that enliven the atmosphere both during the day and at night.

Church of San Lorenzo

Two places to visit inside the village are Piazzetta San Marco and Piazzetta della Darsena. Inside the former stands the beautiful Church of San Lorenzo, built by 28 master stonemasons from Gallura. Completed in 2008, it is very modern and original. Its walls house a structure with the hull of an overturned ship, which has hundreds of wooden figures, made by master Mario Ceroli, representing historical figures of Porto Rotondo. The pavement is really suggestive: the profiles of the last 6 popes are depicted, sculpted in marble and each one of a different colour. The south facade houses a rose window completely made in Murano. The staircase leading to the entrance of the church harmonizes it completely with the surrounding square, creating a unique architectural complex.

Emmanuel Chapalain’s Food Chain

Do not miss the mosaic of Via del Molo, also known as “Food Chain” and the work of the British artist Emmanuel Chapalain. Completed in 2016, it is a path embellished with the representation of the fish food chain, entirely made with local stones.

Along the route, called Via Belli, you can admire representations of sharks, tuna, swordfish and other varieties of fish swimming in the waves. The eyes of some specimens light up in the evening, making the walk even more suggestive and attracting the attention of young and old alike.

Nuraghi

The Nuragic civilization developed and lived in Sardinia for about 1000 years, a period in which it gave life to a very articulated social structure. The typical architectural structures of its culture are known as nuraghi, i.e. prehistoric fortified houses consisting of turreted walls and two-storey towers in the shape of a truncated cone. The latter, are made of stones of different sizes arranged in concentric circles superimposed one on top of the other that shrink as they rise upwards. The doors are surmounted by architraves, while the access corridors and internal chambers are covered by pseudo-domes.

Generally, nuraghi were built on plateaus and, unlike what has been believed for years, were not intended for burial of corpses. Some even reached a height of 22 metres and could contain several towers communicating with each other.

These structures can be simple, i.e. with an isolated tower and small rooms side by side, or complex, with superimposed rooms, spiral staircases and bodies leaning against the tower.

It is no coincidence that in Sardinian the term “nuraghe” means “pile of stones”.

To date, there are 7 thousand nuraghi on all Sardinian soil, but they probably amount to 10 thousand.